Hancock rehab on right track

At long last, the National Park Service seems to be truly committed to preserving what remains of Fort Hancock's crumbling buildings in a fully transparent manner. It is still too early to celebrate. But there is at least hope now that the possibility of a resurrection of sorts for the historic site is within reach.

Last year, the park service invited qualified individuals, businesses and nonprofit organizations to submit written "expressions of interest" to refurbish and reuse some 35 buildings in the former military reservation in the Gateway National Recreation Area at Sandy Hook. Earlier this month, the park service and the Fort Hancock 21st Century Advisory Committee provided an overview of the 41 responses.

While many are unlikely to make the final cut, most of the proposals seem to be serious suggestions by people with the resources needed to carry through on their visions.

Among the proposals: a vocational school of military and political science, a "bicycle cafe, an educational sailing center, a theater complex, a school for kayaking, paddle boarding and boating, a military museum, an organic farm and an outdoor dance performance space. Several proposals have been made for bed and breakfasts and restaurants.

Not all of the plans seem appropriate given the park's recreational and historic mission. Falling into that category are a plastic surgeon's office, a proposal to turn over the entire property to the Delaware Tribe (Lenape), an asbestos abatement company, a hospice center and private residences.

We also hope a conference center proposed by a hospitality group that includes James Wassel will be rejected. Wassel headed Sandy Hook Partners, which was the winning bidder for the right to develop Fort Hancock back in 2001. It took a protracted court battle to sever the relationship after Wassel was repeatedly unable to come up with the necessary funding.

We remain opposed to any commercialization of the property that does not relate directly to the park's mission, and that would preclude the public from utilizing the structures.

The renewal of the Fort Hancock buildings will not take place overnight, yet there is a sense of growing momentum. It is gratifying to see some real progress being made toward both saving and repurposing the buildings, even in these early stages.

Fort Hancock is a national treasure, and it deserves to be treated as such. We encourage the park service to maintain the transparency and community inclusiveness it has demonstrated in recent months as it moves to convert concepts into reality.

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Hancock rehab on right track

At long last, the National Park Service seems to be truly committed to preserving what remains of Fort Hancock's crumbling buildings in a fully transparent manner. It is still too early to celebrate.

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